The invention relates to a coin-operable machine for dispensing cooling elements, particularly for the use thereof in cooler bags or boxes for keeping food fresh and keeping drinks cool.
For the purpose of cooling the content of cooler bags and boxes, it is known to use cooling elements comprising a plate-like casing closed on all sides and containing in the inner area thereof a cooling agent. The latter is a substance, which is gaseous under normal pressure and ambient temperature, but evaporates on cooling, which is brought about by introducing the cooling elements into a cooling zone, such as e.g. the refrigerating compartment of a refrigerator. The cooling effect in the cooler bags and boxes is achieved in that the cooling agent evaporates in the cooling elements, i.e. through the cooling agent passing from the liquid into the gaseous state, heat is taken from the surrounding environment.
However, it is disadvantageous that in the case of long journeys and for example when spending time on the beach, the cooling elements loose their cooling action after the cooler bags have been opened and closed several times and there is no possibility of cooling the "warm" cooling elements, in order to achieve a further cooling effect in the cooler bags and boxes.